SB250

Based on reviews of this bike and others I expected the box to beaten up and i was not surprised. When the Fedex driver pushed it to the back of the truck the box was upside down with red "this side up" arrow pointing down. The bottom tape seam was open about an inch, one of the two plastic straps was missing and the left side of the box had a huge gash in it and I could see parts. Amazon suggested accepting it and to open it and inspect the contents. All of the parts are in little compartments in the sides of the packing styrofoam. It would have been so easy for parts to fall out. Double boxing or adding more plastic straps I think would be a good idea. The first thing I did was to inventory the parts. I opened the bag with the bolts in it to compare to the pictures in the manual. BTW the manual is available online. The printed manual has very small pics and the online version can be enlarged. I was concerned at first looking at the bolts package that half of the pictured bolts and washers were not in the bag. As it turned out the ones not in the bag are screwed into the various parts of the bike. The assembly was very straight forward. All of the pieces and parts were accounted for and there was zero damage. Every part fit very well. They even included a pull wire to fish the wiring harness up through the console mast. I assembled it by myself being a big guy. After bolting the two frame halves together the bike gets pretty heavy and some might need a second pair of hands to hold the bike up while bolting on the front and back stabilizers. I put a block of wood under the frame while bolting the stabilizers on. The only difficulty I had was tightening the 6 bolts in the seat back and handle bars. The nyloc nuts took a lot of effort to tighten down. You can assemble the bike with the supplied tools but I would recommend getting a set of the folding metric hex wrenches and a 14 and 15mm closed end wrench or sockets. Once assembled I was very pleased with the feel of the bike. My biggest concern was leg room. I tried another recumbent bike at a local store and with the seat all the way back I could not fully extend my legs and on the up stride my knees were very high and my lower leg was well beyond 90°. Being 65 with bad knees I could feel too much stress on my knees at even a minimal resistance. I set the Xterra seat all of the way back and climbed on. I was pleasantly surprised to find that my legs fully extended. I am 6' 2" and even had to move the seat up two settings shorter. I also like the seat locking design. It is a spring loaded screw knob that locks a pin into a hole in the frame. I had this on my previous bike and it is very sturdy. I have only had one session on the bike but I am pleased so far. At 290 lbs the seat is very comfortable, does not wobble when peddling and is smooth and whisper quiet. And my 65 year old eyes have no problem seeing the display which is very bright. This bike seat seems a bit more reclined than my previous recumbent bike which will take a bit of getting used to but overall it is very comfortable and I feel no stress on any body parts. I think the manual recommends unlugging the bike after using it which I think is a pain. An on/off switch might be better. I did leave the bike on after using it. After checking later the display turned itself off. When I hit start it all the values were reset to start. In summary I am very pleased with the bike. I was originally looking at a $999 bike that supposedly had the best customer service ratings. I discovered that the Xterra 2.5r was also made by the same manufacturer and distributed by the same company. A local company 50 miles away had the bike on the floor for $449 on sale. I almost went there to try it out but when I found it on Amazon at $328 and Prime eligible I decided to buy it. It was drop shipped from the company in Arkansas and took about a week to get here which is a bit long for a Prime purchase but at that price I am not complaining and the longer shipping time is noted on the website. The only negative I will give the bike is for the small transport wheels on the front stabilizer. I was hoping to store the bike across the room and move it nearer to the TV for use. To get the wheels to roll you have to raise the rear of the bike very high which is not that easy since this is one heavy duty rascal. Some small people might need help moving the bike. I just hope the bike is durable and that the customer service will be there if needed. 5 stars so far.

Let me start by saying that I think this is a quality recumbent bike for the price. It seems to be well engineered and well built. Assembly was straight forward and took about one hour to assemble. After assembly, I rode the bike for 30 minutes and got a vigorous work-out. The controls are intuitive and easy to use. Overall, I was satisfied with the bike’s performance. Where I was disappointed by the bike was in its packaging. Upon opening the box, which showed no external damage, I found some damaged parts (see photos). While one plastic shield piece was damaged, it did not affect the performance of the bike. However, the base of the metal neck of the bike was bent to an extent that I could not get the upper neck mounted. Fortunately, I had some metal working tools available that allowed me to get the parts connected. Overall I rated the bike a 4 star out of 5.

I purchased this bike based on a more expensive Xterra model being offered at a big box retailer whom I love and trust. It was easy to assemble over an evening, by myself, using my own tools. Take to heart what others have recommended in terms of assembly; they are all spot on. It is a very solid machine but is easy enough to move when pivoted up on the front wheels. I was particularly pleased that the seat is easy to adjust but doesn't squeak or wobble when in use. In fact, the bike is entirely silent when in operation, surprisingly so. I weigh in at 225 lbs. I wasn't expecting this. The seat is far more comfortable than I might have imagined. Xterra's more expensive models offer a mesh seat back and may be more adjustable. This seat, however, has been entirely adequate for me in terms of comfort and angle (which is not adjustable). At 6' I'm right in the middle of the distance adjustment from the pedals. I imagine it can accommodate a wide range of people of various heights. The 12 preset programs and 24 levels of magnetic resistance are totally adequate for my needs. I'm not really interested in a computer that tracks my progress or that can transfer and store information. It does take your basic stats and recommends a target heart rate, however, which is always useful. As I've improved, I just increase the level on the program to reach my target heart rate. I do like that it tells you how far you've travelled and how many calories you've burned. It also gives you a recovery score if you choose the cool down mode. Others have noted inaccuracies in their heart rate monitor but I've had no problems so far. You do need to make sure you clean the contacts occasionally. You also have to make good hand contact or you'll see the little heart icon isn't flashing evenly indicating that it's not able to pick up your cardiac electrical activity. If I shift my hand position a little it usually gets back on track. Watch the blinking heart icon for feedback. It also takes a few beats before it accurately reassesses your heart rate. Be patient. Overall, I'm simply blown away by how nice this bike is. I've only had it a month but I've managed to use it daily. It's solid, intelligently designed, and very easy to use. It also doesn't take up a great deal of space. I couldn't have asked for a better exercise machine especially at this price point. Highly recommended if a recumbent bike is your machine of choice!!

My husband and I have a Sole elliptical that we love. We decided to look into purchasing a recumbent bike also because we often work out together and we wanted another cardio machine so that we could each have a machine to work on. Also, my husband has been experiencing bouts of knee pain and wanted a machine that he could spend longer workouts on without impacting the joints as much. The elliptical does a fine job of minimizing impact, however, he still is heeding the advice of his doctor and is limiting his elliptical workouts due to potential knee stress. We first checked out the Sole recumbent bikes, however we didn't want to spend $900. In researching bikes, we came across a post where the reviewer questioned the manufacturer of the Xterra v the Sole because he felt that they seemed very similar. We ended up purchasing this bike mainly because of the price point and the multiple programs that is has. While I was waiting for the bike to be shipped, I did a little more research and found out that both Sole and Xterra are brands of the Dyaco company and manufactured in the same factory. When the box came, we put together the bike and were very pleased. We felt that the quality was high, the mechanism was smooth, the programs easy to configure and overall this purchase was a home run. We highly recommend this bike and it looks nice along the Sole elliptical machine. Pros: Manufactured by the same company that manufactures highly rated and high quality Sole fitness machines Relatively easy to assemble, we ran into a few snafus that were clearly us not reading the clearly written directions Operation is smooth, easy to configure and the console is bright and colorful without being overdone and overcomplicated. Cons: I didn't realize these "cons" until after I made my purchase, if I would have know about these before hand, I may have not ordered this bike and as a result, may have purchased another inferior product for the wrong reasons. Please take this advice, these negative points I make about this bike should not sway you away from purchasing it, however, you may have to make adjustments like I did. No cupholder - I'm surprised that I didn't realize this! (I now use the weight bench next to the bike, no big deal) No phone/ipod ledge - There appears to be a little slot along the bottom of the console, however, this slot is only about 3/4 - 1 inch deep, I actually see no purpose for this ledge. No ipad ledge - My elliptical holds an iPad just fine, this machine doesn't have anyplace to hold an iPad, so I am using a music stand, again, no big deal. If i experience any issues mechanically after using the machine for some time, I will update this review with any future issues.

A great recumbent cycle. Just what I had hope for when I ordered it. I am very pleased with this product. Advantages: 1) 24 levels of resistance - no big jump in resistance from one level to the next. Great for keeping heart rate in the zone. 2) Very quiet, very smooth. The 22 pound flywheel probably contributes to the smoothness. 3) Shorter in length than average recumbent bike - more options for placement in the exercise area. 4) Display/Computer has the essentials I need. I did not want on-line connectivity or anything like iFit, and it doesn't have it. 5) Very sturdy. Doesn't wobble or flex. 6) Works great with the Polar chest strap I already owned. 7) Relatively easy to put together. Drawbacks: 1) The control panel button press beep is louder than I would have liked, and there appears to be no way to lower the volume or disable it. 2) The seat fore/aft adjustment is very stiff (there might be a way to adjust it, but I haven't bothered to look) 3) I had to re-seat an already installed screw in the plastic shell around the flywheel. Only took a minute to do once I determined what the problem was. Based on my experience with this product, I would recommend it without hesitation.

Have put together 2 of these. Product seems well made and strong enough. Wheel is very quiet. The equipment is easy to work with, except the electronics. Love the product itself, but several challenges made things more difficult then they needed to be. 1. Instruction book talks of 3 packages of hardware, but only one was included. Seems they took the stuff from 2 bags and installed it all in the holes BUT did not include any announcement or change the manual: a. As you look at a box of parts and missing hardware, you may notice that some bolts are already screwed in but that raises other issues - are they all there? - then you have to unscrew them to get the pieces together - some hardware fell into the main assembly as they are removed to re-install so the assembly had to be shaken to get them out [one washer is still wedged somewhere!] - you can call the manufacturer for help, but not on Saturday and Sunday as they are closed and no one told Amazon about the missing bags of parts; all this is happening while you wonder how far you should go before you do something wrong and now it's your fault; b. The order of assembly is questionable - for example, there are front and rear stabilizers, but you are not told to install them early so the assembly can be stabilized; several other steps go easier if the order of assembly is changed; c. The instructions and info about the electrical connections are in 2 places and not in logical order; d. The manual’s discussion of the electronics is insufficient – several friends can’t figure out the programming either; We still can't get it all figured out. e. There are no on line videos explaining the programming; f. Factory customer service is frustrating: the people who answer the phone are apparently not given sufficient information so they can pass it to customers; when I asked one gentleman about the programming, his reply was “Read that section 3 times and it will sink in.” I did not spend over $300 to be told to 'just read it again." g. One CSR deserves a big Thank You – Kurtis was extremely helpful, exhibited great patience and supplied clear and helpful instructions. So, a customer's experience with the product can be enhanced with corrections in the manual, better assembly order, and better explanation of the programming.

I shall start by clarifying that I have now received two of the exact same bike, and my review is on the first. Regardless of damage from shipping, this bike is flimsy, and that center bar that they tout as a bonus because you can walk through is really a huge flaw! It has absolutely no stability, and when you're riding the bike per say, the middle arches up and down, making unseemly creaking noises. The heart rate monitor does not even work, as the numbers jump around (e.g. jumping from 78 to 128 back to 95, etc.) It is overall an uncomfortable ride, though I did like the adjustable seat. It also is touted as being movable, with rollers, well, that's rubbish as the rollers are so tiny you're better off picking it up and moving it, but don't, because it's heavy. For the shipping. Oh my, what hell have I descended into? First bike arrived with the packaging so damaged that I chased the UPS guy to take it back! He drove away. I assembled the bike (because it seems like every review of these types of bikes says the shipping was bad but the bike was okay), only to find out the plug was totally detached and stuck inside the flywheel. I ordered an exchange (second mistake). It took three weeks to get the second bike, whose box was damaged in a similar but not as bad fashion as the first, which tells me the packaging is in serious need of an overhaul... and UPS and Fedex warehouse workers should be utterly ashamed of themselves. I took out the second bike, put the first bike in the second's box (thinking phew, I'm done with this nonsense finally) only to realize that the flywheel on the second bike has a huge crack in it! Now, the first box was completely unusable as a return box, which is why I used the second box to insert the first bike... now I have another dud bike, which weighs a ton, and no box with which to return it. Amazon assures me it doesn't matter, that UPS will take the bike even if I throw it in whatever box I can... we'll see. They've been very good about these returns, and I asked for a discount on a bike if I decide to completely neglect my sanity and buy another bike from them, and they capitulated. Moral to this convoluted story, Do.Not.Buy.This.Bike... unless you're a masochist.

I bought the XTERRA SB150 recumbent bike because I wanted a bike for under $200 and one with a seat that leaned back further than many I had tried and that didn't have an uptilt at the front of the seat. While I prefer an infinite seat rail, the cheaper ones tend, in my experience, to start slipping not long after you've owned the bike, so I decided this seat would work well for my needs, and we used to own and liked an XTERRA upright bike, so I figured why not. Here's my experience so far with the bike. So let me start with the pros. The seat does lean further back, and it's very easy to adjust. Pedaling is silent and smooth, and once you figure out the quirky display raises the progress line because it's working around some data rather than because it's going to get harder, it's easy to use. The heart rate monitor worked accurately for me (I tested it against an oximeter), and while the seat is thin and flat, it's also very wide and easy to use with a cushion. For it's size, the bike is pretty light and easy to move, but keep in mind this isn't a particularly compact bike. I found only one real negative, but it's an important one. The bike is rated for 265 pounds, and at 185 I'm well below that, but with the resistance dialed in to 1, and pedaling fairly slowly and smoothly, the bike shakes in both directions. When I started pedaling fast at a little higher resistance, the bike shook a lot - my husband said he could watch the tubes flex as I pedaled. Here's the thing. I'm rehabbing some muscles, and it's a good angle for me, so I'm going to keep it and use it for a while, but it's not going to last forever due to metal fatigue. And if you're wondering if it was assembled correctly, it is. Like I said, my husband could see the metal flex, not the attachment points. If you're 125 pounds or use this very gently, you may get less or no flexing. I've owned a couple Schwinn recumbent bikes and several uprights from various brands, and they didn't flex at all when I pedaled - like I said, I was going fairly slowly and very smoothly at the lowest resistance level. If there were a bike with the seat leaning back the way this one does for under $300 that doesn't have an uptilt at the front of the seat but was stronger, I'd have gone for that one. As it is, I expect to replace this bike within a year to a year and a half, and I won't be able to sell it because of possible metal stress due to the flexing. I'm torn on this one. I'm sure there are sturdier exercise bikes for even less money on Amazon - I know because I've owned a couple and tried more at Dick's and the now-defunct Sports Authority. This is, in truth, the flimsiest bike I've owned or used, but it's also got the ergonomics I need for now. I wish I could recommend it or feel exited about it, but at lower resistance and speed, it does give a good workout. Edit: May 26, 2021. We still have the bike, but are in the middle of deciding what to replace it with. The resistance isn't high enough for my husband, and it's started to clunk during pedaling periodically - anywhere from a few seconds to a few minutes apart. During each clunk there's no resistance. My husband opened up the bike, and the flywheel is crooked and the belt was only partway on, another other issues. We've had to shim some of the feet, which keeps it from flexing too much. And more than ever, I wish it had the kind of seat adjustment available on the Schwinn recumbent exercise bikes. But I must admit that it lasted longer than we expected.

BAD

This is a very sturdy and comfortable exercise bike with a padded and adjustable seat. Takes more then one person to put together but great product and easy to use as it has different levels of peddle power. Good value for the price.

Excellent machine for the price. I'm a mechanical klutz and this was the easiest and most well illustrate set of instructions for assembley. I was worried that this would be an "ikea" torture test to put together but everything was well laid out and easy to follow. In preparation for upcoming knee surgery, I have used the machine steadily for 2 weeks and definitely feeling positive results. Extremely happy with the product.

Easy to assemble. Took me about 45 min by myself. Very quiet, almost completely silent, when using. Like other reviews say the seat doesn't like to stay in place BUT if I put my feet in the pedals and adjust the seat to where I want it then start peddling it will stay in place. If I stop peddling and relax my legs the seat will slide down so while I'm peddling it will stay where I want it to so I don't really see that as too big of a deal. For the price I think its a great deal!

It came 2 days earlier than expected..👍 Easy to assemble and much sturdier than expected. Whisper quiet..better than expected at this price point. Very happy.